Communicating to Cultivate 2020 REGIONAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE - - PDF document

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Communicating to Cultivate

2020 REGIONAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE GEORGIA MASTER GARDENER EXTENSION VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

Welcome!

2020 Regional Leadership Conference Series

• June 19, 2020 – Communication to Connect
• August 21, 2020 – Communication to Collaborate
• November 6, 2020 – Communication for Community

RLC Credit

• You’ll receive 2 hours of AT credit for participating today.
• It will be entered into MGLOG for you!

AGENDA

10:00 am Welcome and Introductions 10:15 am Host site greetings – Garrett Hobbs, ANR agent, and Karin Hicks, Program Assistant, Hall County 10:30 am Communicating to Cultivate 11:15 am GMGA Connections 11:30 am Q&A 12:00 pm Summarize and Adjourn

Welcome!

Thank you to our virtual hosts in Hall County!

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Hall County Extension Master Gardener Program

Garrett Hibbs, ANR Agent Karin Hicks, Program Assistant

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Communicating to Cultivate

Connecting

• With Extension
• With MGEVs
• With the public

Communication Methods

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Guidelines for Communi- cating

cul∙ti∙vate

• Prepare and use (land) for crops or gardening
• Try to acquire or develop (a quality, sentiment, skill)

https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/

As MGEVs

• You are assisting the public in cultivating knowledge in skills about

plants and gardening

• You are cultivating your knowledge and skills

If I am going to cultivate a garden space, what will I do first?

• Tools
• Good weather
• Soil moisture
• Amendments

If I am cultivating knowledge of plants and gardening, what do I need to do first?

• Tools
• Resources

Cultivating implies some effort on our part

• We are going to work to improve

soil

• We are going to tend young

plants by adding water, nutrients, and weeding

• We are going to stake and

support plants that are growing faster than their cells can support

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Cultivating a knowledge of gardening takes effort

• n our part
• Newspapers
• Websites
• Social Media
• Blogs
• TV and Radio

Media

• Exhibits
• Lectures
• Workshops
• Experiential Programs

Learning Opportunities

• Demonstration Gardens
• Garden Tours

Observation

Consider Your Audience Consider Your Audience

• To whom are we speaking?
• Are people generally plant-literate?
• Are we using jargon?
• Does the general public know when

seasonal crops are available?

• We’ve got to think like the average

person, not like an informed MGEV.

How do we know we are successful in cultivating

• ur soil?
• Beautiful, healthy plants
• Productive plants
• Healthy insect activity

How do we know if we are successful at cultivating knowledge of plants and gardening?

• New audiences attending

Extension events

• Repeat visitors or attenders to

Extension events

• Increased visitation of our

demonstration garden sites

• Increased views of social media

accounts

• Requests for more information
• r activities

10 20 30 40 50 60 1 2 3 4 5 6

What could this “communicating to cultivate” look like?

• Topic: Water-smart gardening

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Think about the ways that we teach:

• Newspapers
• Websites
• Social Media
• Blogs
• TV and Radio

Media

• Exhibits
• Lectures
• Workshops
• Experiential Programs

Learning Opportunities

• Demonstration Gardens
• Garden Tours

Observation

Practice

• We’re going to make a

“cultivation” plan

• TOPIC: Water-smart Landscaping
• Time frame: April - October

What resources already exist?

https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extensi

• n/publications/files/pdf/B%201444

_1.PDF

Tools

An Instagram account A county webpage A Facebook account

What are we already doing? Group Activity

• GROUP 1: Media
• GROUP 2: Learning Opportunities
• GROUP 3: Observational
• 8 minutes in your groups (randomly assigned)
• Brainstorm ways in which you can cultivate a knowledge of water-smart

landscaping with your assigned method

• What would your plan look like over the course of the year?
• Use your worksheet to take notes
• Choose 1 person to share with the entire group

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Breakout Rooms

• Right now, you see everyone and the main presentation
• I will launch the break out room feature
• Zoom will randomly divide you into three groups
• You will see a message to join the break out session --- say Yes!
• You will then be in a “room” with 1/3 of participants
• At the end of our 8 minutes, you’ll see a message “Break out session

ending in 60 seconds”

• Click to rejoin OR do nothing. The break out session will end and you

will be automatically returned to the large group.

Group Activity

• Each group will have a moderator
• Use your worksheet as a guide
• Remember that 50 people can’t

speak at once, so use your chat box!

• You want to outline what your

team’s plan could look like over the course of 7 months.

• Choose someone to take notes and

share with everyone else when we come back together.

Did you like the breakout function in Zoom?

• Participate in the poll!

Let’s hear your plans to cultivate! Group 1: Media

• What does your plan for a year

look like?

Group 2: Learning Opportunities

• What does your plan for a year

look like?

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Group 3: Observations

• What does your plan for a year

look like?

If we put all of this together, what would it look like?

MEDIA LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES OBSERVATIONS

Would we see evidence of cultivation? Summary

• Cultivating knowledge in our audiences is as purposeful and

intentional as the steps we take to cultivate our gardens

• Make every step count!
• Use what one team/project group is doing to support efforts
• Look for evidence of success!

Next Time

• We’ll dig deeper into our

communication methods and learn how to put them together

Communicate to Cultivate

A Message from GMGA

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GMGA RLC #2

COMMUNICATE TO CULTIVATE

GEORGE JEBURK AND MARJORIE STANSEL

GMGA AN END-TO-END PLAN FOR DELIVERING STRATEGIC MESSAGES TO KEY AUDIENCES IN ORDER TO DRIVE POSITIVE OUTCOMES.

GMGA WHO IS YOUR AUDIENCE?

• WHO ARE

YOU TRYING TO REACH?

• WHAT METHODS DO

YOU WANT THEM TO RECEIVE?

• HOW WILL

YOU REACH THEM?

• WHAT DO YOU WANT TO COMMUNICATE?

GMGA

HOW WILL YOU COMMUNICATE (a) Electronic Media

• 1. e-mail
• 2. Facebook
• 3. Instagram
• 4. T

witter

• 5. Zoom, Cisco Webex,

You Tube OR Webinar (b) Print Media

• 1. Scoop and GMGA Web page
• 2. Clips and Trellis Posts

GMGA

SET COMMUNICATION GOALS USING SMART

• S = Specific
• M = Measurable
• A = Actionable
• R = Relevant
• T = Timely

GMGA

THE PLAN IN ACTION

• 2020 GMGA
• VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
• PLANTING FOR THE FUTURE
• NOVEMBER 13 – 14, 2020

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Q&A

We asked ahead of time what you want to know…

• Thank you for sharing what is on your mind!

Current UGA guidelines for the pandemic

• UGA Extension COVID-19 Resources website
• https://extension.uga.edu/topic-areas/timely-

topics/emergencies.html

How (do) the UGA requirements tie in with the local county requirements?

• County restrictions/closures apply to county offices

Volunteer Hours

• Will you exempt people from the 25 hour volunteer service this year?
• Will you extend the requirement for achieve Silver or Gold Status

within 5 years to 6 years due the pandemic?

• How to maintain my MGEV status during the pandemic with

volunteer activities severely curtailed?

• For new MGEV's how can we get to those minimum hours for

volunteering for 2020? I have been attending virtual sessions to get a few learning hours in

• Will the new MGEV trainees in 2020 have a longer opportunity to

earn their 50 hours?

Trellis post from 8/14/20

• Individuals who trained during 2020 have until December 31, 2021, to

complete the initial 50 hours of volunteer service for obtaining the MGEV title.

• Individuals who trained during 2019 who have not completed the initial 50

hours of volunteer service for obtaining the MGEV title have until December 31, 2021, to complete a total of 75 hours. This is to satisfy the

• riginal service requirement and to be considered a current, active MGEV.
• MGEVs who entered 2020 in good standing will not be penalized for

volunteering less than 25 hours during 2020, but are encouraged to do what they can.

• Individuals who do not wish to volunteer at this time may request Inactive

Status (see Georgia MGEV Program Policies for additional information). Contact your agent or program coordinator to make this request.

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Things that we cannot negotiate:

• Update of Risk Management Training (RMT) is required to retain

active status in 2020 and is not optional. Anyone who has not completed RMT prior to October 1, 2020, will automatically be converted to inactive status.

• Keeping your Background Investigation (BI) current requires voluntary

service at least once every 120 days.

• Things MGEVs do on a regular and voluntary basis include:
• Virtual service
• In-person participation in projects
• Training participation
• We understand that this year is not normal.
• Do what you can.
• Record continuing education hours
• Participate in virtual meetings with your agents and fellow volunteers
• Get involved in virtual volunteer opportunities, such as giving online

presentations or distance diagnostics

• Work with a MGEV team to plan an upcoming event
• Please be patient with us.
• We are following UGA’s lead.
• Answers are not immediately available.
• Answers may change!

Things to Expect

• As University and volunteer service resumes, we will need to be extra

vigilant about MGEV-related recordkeeping.

• Exact location of volunteer service
• Time of day
• Event sign-in sheets
• USG is interested in the ability to produce clear and accurate activity

records in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak.

• We already use MGLOG, and as long as MGEVs keep records updated

(within 24-48 hours), the system should be sufficient.

Things to Expect

• Every county will be different.
• Reopening times will vary
• Limitations will vary
• ALWAYS check with your agent before planning or scheduling

activities.

Inactive Status

• Available to anyone who feels that they cannot or should not

volunteer this year.

• Can be used for 2 consecutive years
• Requires reactivation to return to active MGEV status, including

Background Investigation

• If you want this option, please email your Extension agent or program

coordinator to let him/her know.

Please Stay Connected.

Updates will be posted to:

• Trellis
• State Program

Website (gamastergarden er.org)

• Email to MGEVs

(keep your address updated in MGLOG!)

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Risk Management Training (RMT)

• RMT renews July 1, 2020.
• Please take a half-hour to update!
• Great way to stay engaged with

the MGEV program by meeting annual training requirements.

• Look for the links in the yellow

box in top-right corner of your MGLOG homepage.

Coming Up Next

Thoughtful Thursdays

• September 10, 2020 – Program

Sharing

• October 8, 2020 – Fall Turf

Update, Clint Waltz

• November 12, 2020 – Master

Mentoring for Youth, Keri Hobbs

• Catch the archives in MGLOG!

Strategic Planning Project

Fall 2020

Charge

• Our ultimate goal is create a plan to direct and shape the Georgia

Master Gardener Extension Volunteer Program for the next 5 to 10 years

Project Website Listening page

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Please contribute!

• 1. Participate in the online survey
• 2. Participate in one of the facilitated discussions
• 3. Encourage fellow MGEVs to participate in survey and discussion

sessions

• 4. Encourage your public to participate in the public survey

Wrapping Up

See you next time!

• November 6, 2020
• Regional Leadership Conference #3
• Communicate for Community: Reaching the

Larger Audience

Stay safe! Stay well! Garden on!

Thank you for being a part of today’s Regional Leadership Conference!